It all started as a bet
by Music of the wind
Summary: Bella gets forced into pulling a prank on the Cullens. She's ok with it at first. The more she gets to know Edward the more she realizes how wrong she really is. When she tells him the truth will he forgive her? Cowritten with Carlsile lovers Unite


_**The bet**_

Bella swan sat at the table with her friends: Angela, Ben, Mike, and Jessica. Angela laughed cruelly,

"Hey, Bella, did you see what that freak Alice was wearing? That shirt with those pants, is she sick or something?" Bella shook her head. She was used to hearing Angela pick on the new kids. For some reason Angela picking on Alice didn't sit well with her. After awhile she felt sick to her stomach. She took a deep breath and said,

"Lay off her, Angela. Alice is a nice girl and she's new here. I think we should help her out."

Jessica snorted, "Since when do you care? You don't care when we pick on anyone else." Thank God the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. Bella was halfway to Biology when she heard someone crying in the girls' bathroom. She quietly went inside and was shocked to see Alice crying and her sister Rosalie stroking her hair.

Bella softly asked, "Are you ok?"

Rosalie snapped, "Why the hell do you care! You are part of that group that picks on my family. Just get out of here!" Alice however sniffled and said something Bella couldn't hear.

Then to Bella she said, "You actually care about what's wrong? You aren't going to laugh at me for being the freak?" Bella tried to give her the warmest smile she could.

"Why in God's name would I laugh at someone who is crying? I sit with Jessica, Ben, Mike, and Angela because they are the only friends I have in school. In fact, at lunch I told Angela to leave you alone. It sickens me that they have to make others feel like crap to feel good."

Rosalie snorted and said "Well it seems that for now I was wrong about you. Are you feeling a little better, Alice?"

Alice nodded and then said "Bella, do you think you and I could be friends? I know it's a lot to ask but..."

"I'd like that very much. Like I said, some of the things my so-called friends do make me sick. Now where is your next class? I'll show you where it is. I'm already late as it is." She murmured, cutting Alice off.

"Spanish in building four. I hate that class! It's the only one where I'm not with my family." She moaned, Bella could see the pain in her eyes and she felt sorry.

"What is your next class, Rosalie?"

Rosalie frowned and said "I have study hall. I can find my way there on my own. Please look out for Alice. She is the youngest one of all of us."

"I will do what I can," she vowed.

Later Bella went to Biology; she was twenty minutes late. The only empty seat was next to Alice and Rosalie's brother Edward. She made her way over and smiled at him. She had seen Edward from a distance but she just realized how handsome he looked; the perfect set of his jaw, the dazzling features.

Edward frowned "Great first one of your friends makes my sister cry and now you have to make my life a living hell," he muttered, not caring if she heard.

Bella sat down in her seat "Hey, I'm Bella. I guess I'm your lab partner for the year."

When Edward didn't respond Bella simply turned back to the table to begin work. The hour seemed to pass in slow motion.

At the end of the day Jessica met Bella and said "I have an idea for something fun we could do to really make Alice's life hell. It involves you directly, Bella. You will pretend to be her friend. I know that family has a secret and you will get her to tell you what it is. If you do this we will over look what happened at lunch today."

"You don't know them Jess. They are really nice people. I won't help you do this," she protested, her features pulling into a stubborn frown. Angela came over to where Jess and Bella were talking, eavesdropping into the conversation.

"Well if you don't want to get their secret out of Alice; you can get it out of Edward."

Bella bit her lower lip so hard she tasted blood.

Then she took a deep breath, "If I agree to do this will you leave Edward and his family alone?"

Jessica glared at Bella and sneered, "You aren't in any position to be making deals."

Bella closed her eyes and tried to think of a way out of the situation. Then she remembered seeing Alice crying in the bathroom. Bella squeezed her hands into fists behind her back to keep angry tears from falling.

She sighed, defeated "What do you expect me to do? Edward isn't going to tell me anything."

Angela laughed, "Oh, Bella, you are so simple minded. Get under his skin. Make him fall in love with you. Once you've gotten what we want simply dump the trash on the curb where it belongs. Speaking of trash its time for some fun." Before Bella could protest Jess pushed Bella straight into Edward.

Edward glared at her "What do you want now?"

"I-I-I, just wanted to get to know you a little better. We didn't have a lot of time to talk in class. I'm sorry for running into you." She stuttered, embarrassed to no end.

Edward dropped his glare "Bella Swan, right?" Bella nodded her head slowly. She couldn't explain why but when she looked into his eyes her knees felt weak.

She got her bearings and extended her hand, "Yes, I'm Bella. You are Edward, right?" Edward looked at her hand and then at her like she'd suddenly grown seven pairs of legs.

"Well, Bella, I'm going to make this easy for you, I don't want or need pity. Also you should stay away from me." He replied coldly. Bella couldn't understand what was happening. Edward barely knew her and he was shoving her off as someone who only felt sorry for him. Tears threatened to spill over but she wasn't going to cry in front of Edward.

Instead she dropped her hand to her side and sputtered, "You are wrong, Cullen. I don't feel sorry. I want to be your friend." Edward didn't say a word, he just walked away from Bella.

After he was out of earshot Jessica sniggered "I think we have the cat in the bag. All you have to do is skin it. You did very well, Bella. You have potential when your heart doesn't get in the way. Oh and don't worry about his thick skin. If you get close to the shovel you can dig out the treasure."

Bella sighed "I don't know what you are talking about. Now, Jess, I have to go home and make dinner for my dad. I'll see you on Monday."

Before she could walk away Angela grabbed her hand "Oh and Bella that means get close to his family, Edward is very family oriented. If his family likes you he'll like you. Start with Alice. She'll be the easiest twig to crack. I know you won't disappoint us."

Bella went home that night with a sick feeling in her stomach. She couldn't believe that she'd been roped into a scheme that easily. Jessica and Angela weren't that bad if you got past the way they treated people who were different.

To help convince herself that she wasn't doing anything wrong she told herself she was trying to make the Cullen's life in Forks better. As much as she told herself that she was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons she still felt sick.

Meanwhile Edward was in a fight with his family. He didn't want anything more to do with Bella. Alice however kept pushing that Bella was a kind and good person. Rosalie wasn't so sure. She had seen too many people pretend to be nice.

Alice screamed "Edward Cullen, what the hell is your problem! Bella is a kind person. If you'd get your head out of your ass you'd see that!"

Esme came into the family room "Language, Alice. Now what on earth is going on? Are you kids trying to wake the dead?"

Edward grumbled, "There's a girl at school whose blood sings to me. I can't be in the same room with her without thinking about biting her. Alice here seems to think that I need to give her a chance. Please explain to her that as nice as this girl might seem and as attracted to her as I am, I can't ever speak to her again. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt, or God forbid, killed her."

Esme's face brightened "there is a girl who has caught your eye, what's her name? I was so afraid that you wouldn't find someone. You should invite her for dinner sometime. I mean I'll cook for her and she can meet the family."

Edward sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had hoped that Esme would understand what he was going through. She didn't seem to have heard a word he said.

To avoid hurting his loving mother's feelings he mumbled, "Her name is Bella Swan. I can't invite her for dinner though. If I did that it would be like walking her into a lions den."

Esme put her arm around Edward "Either way I think it would be a waste to push this girl away. From what I heard about her from Alice she seems like she would be good for you. Ever since that incident with that insufferable Jessica you've locked yourself in a tight ball. I know Jess hurt you and this family, however please give Bella a chance. I don't think she wants to hurt you."

Edward snarled "I can't don't you understand? If I get too close to her she dies. I wouldn't care if it was Angela or Jessica but Bella is different Esme. I feel drawn to her. I think I might even be in love with her." Just then Alice's face went blank and she screamed in pure elation.

"Edward, Bella and you will end up dating. I don't know when. All I know is that she is going to be one of us sometime soon. This is great! I'm going to have another sister." She crooned. And all at once little Alice's world grew a little brighter.


End file.
